A stumbling block to the pessimist is a stepping stone to the optimist. Optimism is a muscle that grows by lifting heaviness. Good things will come to us if we focus on the positives and let go of the negatives. We might have set ourselves a difficult task, but we will succeed if we persevere; we will find joy in overcoming obstacles and we will realize that no effort that we make to attain something beautiful is ever lost. Let us be of good cheer and do not think of today's failures, but of the success that may come tomorrow.

Optimism is a strategy for making a better future by believing that the future can be improved by stepping up and taking responsibility for making it so. Human spirit has the ability to face the uncertainty with curiosity and hopefulness. It could be fragile and can be blackened by fear and superstition but if we are serious and determined, we will get better results.

I have learned that with real optimism, we are aware of the problems but recognize the solution; we know about the difficulties but believe we can overcome them; we see the negatives but accentuate the positives; we are exposed to the worst but anticipate the best and has reason to complain but we choose to smile.

I have also learned that we often become what we believe ourselves to be. If we have the faith, we would develop and acquire the capacity to do it even if we may not have it at the beginning. One of the benefits of optimism and idealism is that, they lead us into things we have never tried but believe that change is possible not because we are idealists but because we are determined to prove that we could make it and could likewise influence other people to make it as well.

As optimist, we believe and proclaim that we live in the best of all possible worlds. The pessimist fears this is true.

By Tim Pedrosa

Tim